Journal-bearing.



M -869,629. PATENTED 00T. 29. 1907.. F. PLBMING. JOURNAL BEARING. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1907.

FRANK FLEMING, OF ROME, NEW YORK.

JOURNAL-BEARING- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

' pplication filed May 28| 1907. Serial No` 376.132.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK FLEMING, of Romo, in the county of Oneida, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Journal-Bearings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description` This invention relates to certain improvements in journal bearings of the roller-bearing type adapted to receive any revolving element, and is particularly useful in connection with trucks, wrist-pins and other parts of locomotives and other heavy cars or trucks.

The main object is to provide the bearing with a plurality of co-axial friction rollers with interposed antifriction end-thrust bearings between the ends of the rollers and means for automatically centering the antifriction rollers and balls (zo-axially with each other for the purpose of keeping the rollersin exact. co-axial li'nes, thereby preventing any liability of twisting.

A further object is to provide means for distributing oil to the several rollers. And a still further object is to separate each co-axial series of rollers and their endthrust bearings with separate casings or boxes, which serve as retainers, and constitute with the inclosed bearings, a separate article of manufacture capable of being made up and sold as a unit, and readily placed in suitable numbers in any journal box which it may be desired to equip with s aid bearings.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the bearing retainers may be readily removed from their seats in the journal boxes when worn or otherwise rendered unfit for further use.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawingsFigure lis a transverse vertical sectional view of a journal bearing embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the saine. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the detached retainer frames. Fig. Ll is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 of the retainer frame showing the open side, one end being in section.

This journal bearing comprises essentially a box or casing -lof any suitable form, size or material, such as brass or iron having an inner lining 42g of `Babbitt metal which is formed with a plurality of, in this instance five, lengthwise angular seats or pockets 3W for receiving and retaining a corresponding number of roller and ball-retaining frames 4- of substantially the same size and form as the pockets, said retainer frames being arranged concentrically about the axis of a rotating member, as a shaft 5. These pockets or rccesses w3- are in this instance, rectangular in cross section, and the retainer frames `#Ll-- are also rectangular in cross-section, but are of slightly less length than the lining -2- in which they are seated, and which lap over the ends of the retainer frames -4- to prevent endwise movement of the latter.

inasmuch as the retainer frames i* are substantially identical in construction, I will proceed to describe only one of them which consists of a hollow boxlike body of suitable metal open at its inner side facing the shaft *5- for receiving a series of anti-friction rollers ti-and tixed heads -7- and S, together with anti-friction balls 9- and l0, as hereinafter described.

The anti-'friction rollers -Gv-, end-heads -7- and S and anti-friction balls #9# are co-axial; that is, they are arranged end to end, the anti-friction balls wf) being interposed between the adjacent end faces of the rollers -G and heads 7; and -Sw, which adjacent end faces are preferably counter-bored or concave to receive the adjacent spherical faces of the balls m94, the latter being of substantially the same diameter as the rollers -G-, although the fixed end heads 7A and #8 are of slightly less diameter than the rollers -GW to clear the revolving shaft -5- and avoid undue friction so that the entire bearing of the shaft is upon the rollers -G-d and balls -9-.

The anti-friction balls lO- are seated in suitable sockets or pockets m12q in the outer side of the retainer-frame 14 and are preferably arranged in pairs cireumferentially around and in contact with the periphery of the rollers YG-, and in practice I usually provide one pair of these anti-friction roller-bearings -l0- for each end of each roller -6 and one pair for the center, but as many more will be employed as necessary, according to the length of the rollers or load to which the bearings are subjected.

A coil-spring 14- is interposed between the end heads 8* -S- to exert a sullicient end thrust or axial pressure upon said rollers -G- and intervening balls -9- to take up wear, but essentially for the purpose of centering the balls and rollers and keeping them co-axial with each other and parallel to the axis of the revolving element, as the shaft i5-.

The retainer frame #lis also provided with slots l5- at diametrically opposite sides of the rollers G- for receiving flexible strips 16- of felt, leather or other similar material which bear against the opposite faces of the rollers -6- to prevent the entrance of dust to the f ball bearings i0-, and also to remove the dust or grit from the surface of said rollers.

lhe heads -#7d and S/- are preferably fastened to the retainer-frames el4 by pins l7-, and as previously stated, said heads -7-, -8- and S/- are preferably of less diameter than the rollers 6M and balls 9- so as to clear the shaft Y5- and avoid friction therewith. This frame 4M is also provided with a lengthwise oil channel l9- terminating short of the ends of the frame, but of sut'licient length to distribute the voil llo all ot the rollers and ball-bearings -9-, said oil channel communicating with an oil supply pipe -ZOwn leading radially and outwardly through the journal-box or outer casing #land may be provided with the usual cup, not shown.

It is sometimes neccsssary to remove these retainer frames flto gain access to the rollers and ball bearings for repairs or replacement7 and or this purpose I provide said iraine with one or more pairs of threaded apertures 2linto which screws, not shown, may be inserted to engage the outer' sides oi the pockets F3- of the lining -2- or shell #1. whereby the retainer frames may be forced inwardly from said pockets until sufficiently loose to remove them by hand, such operation being effected, of course, after the box lhas been removed from its supporting trame, not shown, 0r also from the shaft -5-.

The outer box -lor lining -2- is, in this instance, provided with a transverse oil groove #Z2- leading from the inner end ot the oil-supply pipe #-20- and communicating with the channels l9- in the several retaineizframes -#ltor the purpose of distributing' oil to all oi the roller and ball bea-rings simultaneously.

What l claim is:

l. ln a journal bearing in combination with a revolving element and a stationary boxa plurality ot retainer lranies seated in the box and havingv open sides facing the revolving' element. a plurality of coaxial rollers in each traine and interposed antiiriction balls between the ends ol' thc rollers.

2. ln a journal bear-ine'` in combination with a revolving element and a non-rotatable box havingl a plurality of seats or pockets. a corresponding number' of retainer frames seated in said packets and havingl open sides facing the revolvingl element. a pluralitjr of co-axial rollers in each traine interposed balls between the ends oi the rollers, and yielding means for pressingr said rollers and balls endwise into contact with each other.

A journal bearing lconprising' a hoxhaving a Vseries et' pockets arranged concentrically around a common center. a series or' retainer' trames seated in said pockets and having their open sides facing inwardly, a plurality of coaxial rollers in each frame and having concave seats in their end faces and anti-friction balls interposed between the meeting; ends of the rollers and bearing in said seats.

4. A journal bearingl comprising a box having a series ot pockets arranged concentrically around a common cen ter, a series ot' retainer frames seated in said pockets and having; their' open sides facing inwardly, a plurality of coaxial rollers in each frame and having concave seats in their end faces and anti-friction balls interposed between the meeting ends of the rollers and bearing in said seats, and spring for pressing the rollers and balls axially into one direction to contact with each other' at their contiguous faces for the purpose of takingup wear and keeping the rollers and balls in axial alinement.

In a journal hearing a box having,l an elongated pocket in its inne: side, an elongated retainer trarne loosely seated in said pocket and open at one side, a plurality of co-axial rollers and fixed heads at the outer' ends of said rollers. anti-friction balls between the meetingends of the rollers and heads, and means to press the rollers and balls axially to brine; their adjacent faces in Contact.

l. ln a journal bearing a box having an elongated pocket on its inner side, a retainer-frame loosely seated in said pocket and open at one side, a roller and a co-axial tixed head, an anti friction ball between the meetingl ends of the roller and fixed head and means for pressing the roller and ball toward the fixed head for maintaining contact between the adjacent ends of the roller, ball and head.

T. In a journal bearing, a retainer' frame open at one sideya roller and a co-axial fixed head in the open side of the frame, said roller and head having' concave recesses in their adjacent ends, an anti friction ball seated in said recesses, and yieldingl means pressing the roller and ball axially toward the fixed head.

ln witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of May 1907.

FRANK FLEMING.

Witnesses H. E. CHAsn, C. H. MCCORMACK. 

